Releasing device for fluid containers



i March 5, 1935. 5. EV ALLEN ET AL 1,993,697

RELEASING DEVICE FOR FLUID CONTAINERS Original Filed March 22, 1929INVENTORS.

SCOTT f. ALLEN B 0 R0 WELL i v s i ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE BELEASING nnvrca ronFLUID commons Original application March 22, 1929, Serial Nor 349,150.Divided and this application Decemher 5, 1933, Serial No. 700,948

The present application is a division of our copending applicationSerial No. 349,150, filed March 22, 1929.

This invention relates to a device for releas fluid from a container andthe embodiment of the invention presented in this application isparticularly adapted for releasing an extinguishing fluid from acontainer, it being understood, however, that the broader principles ofthe invention are not limited to the application or details herein setiorth. Not only is the entire combination 0! the invention novel, but sotar as we are informed certain parts comprising less than the whole arecombinatively new.

In the art of extinguishing fires by the use oi. an extinguishing fluidsuch as CO2, it is necessary to have a releasing device for thecontainer, which contains the carbon dioxide gas, which is susceptibleof quick and positive action, so that the carbon dioxide gas may bedelivered to the area of the fire as quickly as possible after thereleasing device is actuated.

It is an object of this invention to provide a releasing device in whichthe opening through which the gas passes from the container will beentirely opened when the device is operated, so that the carbon dioxidegas may escape as quickly as possible.

It sometimes occurs that the actuating force of the releasing devicewill not entirely puncture the closure member for the container, or openthe exhaust passage of the container, and for this reason the fluid willflow slowly from -the container and not pass as quickly as desirable tothe area of the tire.

It is one of the objects of our, invention to provide a releasing devicefor the general use specified, in which the pressure of the fluidreleased from the container is utilized to fully open the exhaustpassage of the container.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a releasing device inwhich the puncturing member is caused to operate by an operating member,and in which the released fluid is directed against the operating memberto assist in actuating it.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a releasing deviceof the character mentioned, in which a seal is formed around thepuncturing member when it is in operated position, to prevent leakagearound said puncturing member.

A more icular object of the present invention is to provide apuncturing, memberof such term that upon operating the same to puncturea closure disc a seal'will be formed between the disc and the puncturingmember.

With the above-named objects in view and others which will appearhereinafter we shall now describe a preferred embodiment of ourinvention and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will bepointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure l is a view in vertical section of a form of our non-stallingself-energizing head for puncturing a closure disc showing the parts inunactuated position;

Fig. 2 is a plan section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is aview in section similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts inoperated position. I

In the drawing the numeral 11 designates a container provided with athreaded projection 12. Formed through the threaded projection 12 is anoutlet or exhaust opening 13 which is closed by a sealing disc 14. Thedisc 14 is secured in place to close the opening 13 by means of a plugor cap member 16 screwed upon an extension 12a of the projection 12. Abody 60 is secured to the projection 12 by means oi a union member 20.The body 60 includes a cover 61 which is attached thereto by means ofmachine screws 62.

The body 60 provides a chamber 63 in which an operating member in theform of a diaphram 64 is secured. This diaphragm 64 is secured betweenthe lower part of the body 60 and the cover 61. Supported by thediaphragm 64 is a puncturing member 65, which is secured thereto bymeans of a nut 66, screwed on to a threaded'portion 67 of the puncturingmember 65 that projects upwardly through the center of the diaphragm.The puncturing member 65 has a flange 68 below the diaphragm 64 and thenut 66 has a flange '70 above the diaphragm 6d. The flanges are tightlyclamped against the diaphragm to prevent leakage. The lower end of thepuncture member 65 extends into an opening 28 of the plug 16 and isprovided with a knife edge '71 whereby the closure 14 may be punctured.An outlet passage 72 is provided vertically through the puncture member65. The lower end of the passage 72 communicates with the lower end ofthe puncturing member and the upper end communicateswith the chamber 63by means of lateral openings '74 in the nut 66.

The puncturing member 65 is provided with a valve face 75, which engagesthe valve seat '76 when the parts are in operated position, as shown inFig. 3. In order that the diaphragm 64 may readily move into operativeposition, the body 60 is provided with vent openings 77, which prevent apressure from being built up in the member 60 below the diaphragm.

Attached to the cover 61' and in communication with the chamber 63 arepipes '78 and 79. A

, fluid under pressure may be delivered to the chamber 63 through eitheror these pipes 78 or '79.

In operation, a pressure is built up in the chamber 63 by any suitablemeans. For example, fluid under pressure may be admitted to the chamber63 from another cylinder or we may provide means for creating a fluidpressure, such, for example, as an explosion plug described in ourcopending application Serial No. 208,717, filed July 27, 1927. Thepressure so built up in the chamber 63 will cause the diaphragm to movethe puncturing member into the position shown in Fig. 3. When theclosure disc 14 is punctured the fluid under pressure will pass throughthe exhaust opening 13 of the container 11 and through the outletpassage 72 into the chamber 63, where the pressure thereof will beutilized to force the diaphragm 64 and the puncturing member 65 intocompletely operated position, as shown in Fig. 3. The released fluid maypass from the chamber 63 through either of the pipes 78 or 79.

It will be noted that the cutting edge of the puncturing member issharpened toward and coincides with the periphery of the passage 72 sothat when the disc 14 is out there will be a tight seal of the discagainst the body of the cutter. In other words, since the body of thepuncturing member is of greater diameter than this cutting edge it willbend the cut edge of the disc downwardly cupping said edge, as shown at14, and then pressure of the fluid in the container act- 'ing on thiscupped edge will insure a tight seal between the disc and the body ofthe cutter or puncturing member. Because of this tight seal, the valveace 75 and valve seat 76 may be dispensed with although they may beprovided as a double precaution against leakage.

In this type of cutter a piece 14a is cut completely out of the disc 14and such piece is carried by the fluid pressure upward against the nut66. Here the openings 74 are of smaller diameter than the disc and theyare directed laterally at such spacing that they cannot be clogged bythe loose disc and at the same time will not permit the disc to pass outthrough them.

While we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention it willbe understood that this is to be taken as illustrative and notlimitative and we reserve the right to make such changes in form,construction and arrangement of parts as fall within the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. A releasing device for a fluid container having an opening and asealing disk closing the opening, said device comprising a hollow bodyhaving a discharge port, and a tubular puncturing member operable in thebody to puncture said disk and convey the fluid from the container tosaid port, said member being constructed and arranged to form acontinuous down-turned substantially uniform lip on the disk completelysurrounding the member and in sealing engagement therewith.

2. A releasing device for a fluid container having an opening and asealing disk normally closing the opening, said device comprising ahollow spirit and scope of the body having a discharge port and atubular cutter operable in the body to puncture the disk and convey thefluid thus released from the container to said port, the cutter beingsharpened toward the inner periphery thereof so as to form a completeannular cutting edge coincident throughout with said inner periphery.

3. The combination of a container, a coupling member secured to thecontainer and formed with a seat, a sealing disc, means to retain thesealing disc on said seat, a second coupling member formed with achamber, a third coupling member secured to the second coupling memberand formed with a. delivery connection, a piston mounted in the chamberof the second member, means to prevent effective resistance to theoperative movement of the piston, and a tubular cutter carried by thepiston and adapted to rupture the disc in its forward movement with thepiston, the tubular cutter having near its remote end from the disc 9.port to establish communication between the container and the deliveryconnection.

4. Aral-easing device for a fluid container havingan opening and asealing disk normally closing the opening, said device comprising ahollow body having a discharge port, and a tubular cutter operable inthe body to puncture the disk and convey the fluid thus released fromthe container to said port, the cutter being sharpened toward the innerperiphery thereof to form a complete annular cutting edge so that inoperation it will cut out a piece of the disk of smaller 1 diameter thanthe outside diameter oi the cutter and form a down-turned lip on thedisk completely surrounding the cutter and in sealing engagementtherewith;

SCO'I'I' E. ALLEN. OZRO N. WISWELL.

